


Walking in a Tinder Wonderland

by Alliswell



Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types, Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Matchmaking, Tinder, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-13
Updated: 2018-01-13
Packaged: 2019-03-03 07:32:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,412
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13336425
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alliswell/pseuds/Alliswell
Summary: Without any money to spare, Primrose devises a plan to send her big sister on a hot date as her Christmas present.Based on a tumblr post, of the same name.





	Walking in a Tinder Wonderland

**Author's Note:**

> This is a work of fanfiction. No monetary gains were perceived from this piece. 
> 
> The Hunger Games and its characters belong to Suzanne Collins.
> 
> Although the story was inspired on a real person’s tweet, the plot is my original creation. 
> 
> The first part of this fic was previously posted to tumblr a week ago. This is the collective work and all its parts. 
> 
> For @norbertsmom, @smartalexy, @thegirlfromoverthepond and @deinde-prandium, with love, who saw this post and asked for someone to everlark it.

Is you’re interested in the original story, you can find it here [Here](https://mobile.twitter.com/Megan_Steffen/status/946502411845296129). Enjoy. 

>>————-><————-<<

 

“K… what else should I put in her bio: dry sense of humor, long hikes, and she’s an archer?”

 

“Mmm,” The other girl mused, tapping her finger to her chin, “Favorite color?”

 

“Ooh! That can work…” With a satisfied smirk, she looked at her friend and ally. “Alright, Rue, let's read the whole thing to make sure if it makes sense without sounding lame.”

 

Rue nodded enthusiastically.

 

Taking a deep breath, the first girl squared her shoulders, sending her long blonde braid flying to her back, as if she was preparing to give a life changing speech, cause in a way, she was.

 

“Katniss Everdeen. 22. Barista/Waitress. This tinder is actually run by Katniss’ sister, Primrose, cause sadly I lost my part time job, and now I have no cash to buy my big sis a present for Christmas.

 

“Katniss is totally cool, talented and smart, she’s got a dry sense of humor, loves long hikes in the woods, she’s alright with a bow and arrow and her favorite color is green. She deserves the best of the best, and a hot date since she works so much.

 

“Now, I’m looking for brother-in-law material, guys. My sister doesn’t do hook-ups anyway, so ONLY SERIOUS INQUIRIES!!!”

 

Primrose looked up at her best friend and made a tiny little shrugging motion, her blue eyes widened with her unspoken question. Rue, having perfected the besties’ eye communication code, nodded with a lopsided grin of approval.

 

“What are you guys doing there, huddled together over that poor tablet?” A deep voice came from behind, startling both girls. “Is that… Tinder?!? Aren’t you guys a bit young for that?”

 

Like lighting, they shoved said tablet behind their backs and tried to act natural, then the two proceeded to speak fast over the other.

 

“Tinder?”

 

“Nope! Not us!”

 

“No Tinder here! My device can’t access the app.”

 

“All we’re doing is enjoying your delicious cheese buns!”

 

“Yeah! Is that a new recipe, Peeta? It’s so yummy!”

 

“Hey! Something beeped in the kitchen!”

 

“I heard it too!”

 

Peeta squinted at the girls, regarding them with suspicion. He was about to say something when the phone started ringing behind the counter, Peeta’s piercing, blue eyes followed the sound automatically, giving the girls a chance to elbow one another having a ‘loud’ facial expression argument until his suspicious stare focused back on them. They try to look innocently, pinching pieces of their pastry and eating them happily.

 

Primrose asked sweetly, giving him puppy dog eyes, “How come no one’s picking that up?”

 

“Might be a big order for a wedding cake. Mayor Undersee’s daughter is getting married, you know.” Added Rue arching a dark brow knowingly, popping a chunk of cheese bun into her mouth.

 

“Yup, might be them right now, I have it on good authority Mellark’s is Madge’s favorite bakery in the whole world!”

 

“Is that so?” Peeta asked smoothly, eyes so narrowed they were slits. Turning away from them, he looked over his shoulder, “I’m watching you two, trouble makers.”

 

As soon as he picked up the receiver and bent over his ledger to take notes, Prim and Rue started whispering in a rabid dash.

 

“I told you the bakery was too risky! Too many eyes!” Rue motioned towards Peeta with her head. “And ‘good authority’? They’re related! Of course she loves Mellark’s!”

 

“I froze! Madge’s Katniss’ best friend, so very believable. Plus, we couldn’t do this at home! No internet, remember?”

 

“Yeah, well, what if it had been Katniss herself, instead of ‘see-it-all-Peeta? I swear that guy is worse than Sauron and they tell each other everything!”

 

“I thought he was off!” Prim whisper-yelled, “Neither him or her were in the rotation when I looked at the schedule last night. Since Katniss’ or Peeta’s name were on the roster I figured that obviously meant they were off.”

 

“Then what is he doing here?”

 

“I don’t know! He’s the owner’s son… maybe he just shows up whenever he wants to.”

 

“Whatever, Prim. We should go. He’s still looking, like he’s preparing to scold us.”

 

“But, we aren’t done!” Prim cried.

 

“The bakery isn’t the only place with free Wi-Fi.” Rue hissed, “Library!”

Prim’s eyes sparkled. “Genius!”

 

“Go!”

 

Peeta hanged up the phone and lifted his eyes to the empty booth at the corner, right when the bell above the door rang, announcing the teenagers had escape.

 

* * *

 

 

Prim and Rue sat cross legged on the carpeted floor of the teen section of a local bookstore. The library’s internet access was restricted only to educational or informative sites.

 

But, it was alright, the girls learned and perfected the art of blending in, while surfing tinder. First, they scattered Young Adult novels all around them, they added a couple of magazines to their nest and a ‘Grooming for Goats’ book, Prim picked up from the farming shelf.

 

As an added safety measure, they pulled Good Reads reviews on a few of the books they were supposedly interested in and pretended they were pouring over them on the tablet, it didn’t matter, Rue actually owned most of books in their nest, and Prim had borrowed each and every one of them. They truly were avid readers, but Katniss’ love life was in critical condition. The way Prim saw it, it was her duty to help, and Rue was there as her advisor.

 

“Dude! Did you see the crazy response?” Prim gushed in awe at the sheer number of matches they got in such a short time. “Eighty-freaking-five!”

 

“I know! I told you that picture of Katniss about to shoot her bow was badass!”

 

“Well… is practically the only one she isn’t scowling on, that or the one on her birthday, but I thought having her in her Mellark’s uniform standing next to her boss’ son was a bit too much info for Tinder, but, I agree she looks totally hot in this one!”

 

Rue took the tablet and grimaced. “We gotta sift through this mess, though… there are a ton of weirdos here. This guy, for example: Seneca Crane, 34. TV Show Producer. He’s into mutt-wolves, his beard and hates berries…”

 

“Hates berries?” Prim snatched the tablet up.

 

“Yeah, apparently he’s deadly allergic to them.”

 

“Ugh! He’s so old!”

 

“If you claim to be in TV, you shouldn’t be on tinder!”

 

“Totally bogus. Shall we swipe left?” She asked biting her lower lip.

Rue gestured dramatically, “Please!”

 

“How about this guy? Darius… 25… Police Officer… he’s cute.”

 

“Oooh… redhead! Prince Harry anyone?”  
said Rue leaning in.

 

Prim rolled her eyes, “You mean Rupert Grint, right? Otherwise I’m gonna have to disown you!”

 

They giggled and said in unison, “Right!”

 

They were having a lot of fun swiping left or right depending on the contender at the time,until a very familiar pair of blue eyes glare up at them from the screen. Their reactions were gut wrenching and immediate as if he was right in front of them. Prim yelp while Rue tossed the tablet a foot away.

 

The two looked at each other. Rue motioned towards the tablet with her head, Prim shook hers in denial, Rue pressed widening her eyes and pursing her lips tightly. Prim’s shoulders dropped, her brow furrowed over pleading blue eyes and pouty lips, but her friend simply ordered her to woman up and grab the thing right that instant with a mere shift of her facial muscles. Prim glared.

 

Defeated, she crawled on hands and knees and slid the pad towards them slowly.

 

Peeta’s scowling face was still taking most of the screen.

 

“What does his say?” Whispered Rue quietly.

 

Clearing her throat, Prim read, “Peeta Mellark, 23. Baker. I got you guys. Swipe right, then call me right away, we gotta talk. Katniss is gonna be pissed. By the way, she’s better than alright at shooting! any guy worth his flour would appreciate that in her.”

 

“Did he joined Tinder expressly to bust us?” Asked Rue with her mouth hanging open.

 

“Most be. His bio is oddly specific, plus he’d never use a picture on social media where he looks so stern.”

 

“I know. He’s usually very chirpy.”

 

“And amiable,”

 

“He’s always good for a convo, even if he doesn’t know you,”

 

“He has nice smile, doesn’t him?”

 

“Yeah… and a nice ass too.”

 

“Ewww! He’s like… Katniss kiddy crush. Plus he pretty much treats her like a princess or someth—“

 

Prim fell silent, in sync, the two girls looked up at the same time, eyes big as saucers, the same thought dawning on them instantly.

 

“Peeta!” They both screeched giddily and held hands palm to palm.

 

As only people surfing the same brain waves can, Prim and Rue picked up after themselves, throwing books haphazardly on bookshelves and shoving things on their respective places, ‘cause they were ninjas on a mission, not slobs, and together they placed their fingers on the screen, letting them slide across the smooth cool surface, they cried out together, “Right!” And they were gone.

 

* * *

 

Twas the night before Christmas Eve, and the friends had figured out a way to spy. Clad in their PJs and cozy wool socks, the claimed to be having a quiet slumber party and sat in the darkened living room of the Everdeen residence, lurking behind the window shades, waiting.

 

“Prim, Priiiiim!” Rue called in a frantic, albeit hushed tone from the Everdeen’s front window, her hand rapidly waving to beckon her friend.

 

Prim lifted her eyes from her recently acquired ‘Grooming for Goats’, and jumped out of the couch like a flash. “Are they home? Isn’t it too soon for them to be home?”

 

They whispered even though the people they were spying on couldn’t hear them from the driveway, were they stood much too close to each other than non-lovers had a right to.

 

Rue looked at the clock on the wall, and shook her head, “It’s almost one. Peeta is nothing if not a stickler for rules, and he’s already 45 minutes past Katniss self imposed curfew.”

 

Both of them rolled their eyes. What 22 year old has a curfew?

 

“Prim, Katniss is all I’d ever want in a big sister and some change, but why is she such a premature mother even to herself?” Realizing her mistake, Rue slashed her eyes to Prim, who in return gave her the dirtiest death glare known to mankind. Dutifully, Rue apologized, her words contrite and sheepish, “Sorry… I’m an idiot, I wasn’t thinking. I’ll shut my trap now.”

 

Everybody in town knew, about Katniss Everdeen and why there was a perpetual scowl on her face, yet no one ever commented on it… that was just the only sign of respect people knew how to give her.

 

Prim gave a curt nod signaling all was forgiven, and like that, the dark cloud hovering over them dissipated as suddenly as it’d descended. There were more important things they had to attend to anyways.

 

“What are they doing now?” Prim asked separating two blind strips with her thumb and index finger to peek through.

 

“They’re just talking— Fudge!”

 

Both girls ducked when Peeta looked up at the house, but they resumed their peeping positions fast enough to catch Katniss throw her head back in merry laughter at whatever Peeta had said.

 

“He must’ve been laying on thick with the humor,” commented Prim smiling to herself. “Look at her reaching for his arm!”

 

“You go Katniss! I knew you had it in you to flirt with a cute boy.” Rue sang-song.

 

Prim laughed at that causing to her friend to tear her brown eyes away from their marks.

 

“What’s so funny?”

 

“Katniss doesn’t have a flirty bone in her body, unless Peeta Mellark strolls into the room. I just never saw it that way until now. Remember the whole dating Gale debacle? The poor thing was so awkward around him, I accidentally walked in on them one time when he was kissing her, so I backpedaled the same way I came, just I didn’t get to go far when I heard him say he loved her… everything got dead silent for a second, I thought I was gonna combust standing right there behind the wall, I was afraid of witnessing whatever disgusting acts would follow, but you know what my sister did?”

 

Rue only shook her head, a curious expression on her face.

 

“She said ‘I know!’ Like she was a female Han Solo or something!” Prim waved her arm above her head dramatically.

 

Rue responded with a satisfactory gasp and respective hand to the chest in a mix of horror and incredulity. “She didn’t!” She exhaled exaggeratedly.

 

“Oh yes.” Prim made a face, shaking her downcasted head in shameful regret. “And to add insult to injury, when the silence grew to long, I took a peek around the corner and although he was still holding her, his face was like stone, and my poor sister- bless her heart- tried to diffuse the situation.” Another expression of lament took over Prim’s face, “You know how she was unfortunately born with a crippling Don’t-know-how-to-say-something condition…” she pause for effect then wailed, “She punched him in the arm and told him, ‘I love you too, bud!’”

 

“No!” Rue almost fainted.

 

“Yes!” Prim whimpered in mortification.

 

“Poor Gale!”

 

“I know!”

 

“No wonder they only lasted three months together.”

 

“I don’t think he even got past first base.”

 

Laughter floated in from outside, followed by muffled voices coming closer to the house, brought the girl’s attention to the window.

 

“I gotta give it to you Prim, turning off the lights except for the lamp was some smart thinking.”

 

“I know! It was good we closed the blinds too!”

 

They shared a girlish giggle when Peeta brought his arm slowly but surely, around Katniss’ shoulders, and instead of pulling away, she snuggled up closer to him.

 

“Oh. My. Freaking gosh! It’s snowing!”

 

“No way!”

 

“Yes, way!”

 

The fanning and the aah-ing and the quiet squealing started in earnest then.

 

“That’s so flipping romantic!”

 

“I know! And they just noticed too!”

 

“Awww! Could they be anymore adorable? He’s picking snowflakes off her braid!”

 

“Prim, oh Prim, oh Prim, oh Prim…” Rue sang gripping Prim’s arm painfully, shaking her whole body while jogging in place.

 

“I see it, I see it, I see!” Chanted Prim joining in the place jogging.

 

“Oh my gosh he’s going in!”

 

“Don’t screw this up, Katniss! I want my brother-in-law yesterday!!!”

 

And then they both bursted out in loud cheers, hoots and arm-hooking spinning around like a pair of peppy prospectors pumping victorious fists in the air.

 

“Boom baby!”

 

“Heck yeah!”

 

“We did it!”

 

“We’re the best!”

 

“Woo-hoo!”

 

The front door banged open, showing a disgruntled Katniss framed by the doorway, she stalked inside the house followed very closely by a dazed looking Peeta.

 

The girls’ shrieks were so piercing and blood chilling, they could starred their own horror movie.

 

“Oh snap!”

 

“We’re dead!”

 

“Hell yes, you are!” Katniss growled at the retreating forms of her sister and her best friend as they hightailed it up the stairs and into Prim’s room, where the door slammed shut and the lock clicked in place.

 

“I’m still gonna get you both!” Katniss yelled up in the direction of Prim’s room. “Meddling kids!” She seethed under her breath.

 

“Mmm… I don’t know, shouldn’t we cut ‘em some slack? I mean they did get me to man up and asked you out on a date with their sneaky ways. They’re just excited for us.” He shrugged one jacket clad shoulder.

 

“Excited? Try overly nosy.” Katniss crosses her arms grumpily, then muttered scowling, “They ruined our first kiss with their snooping!”

 

Peeta‘s face lighted up at that. “Technically, they didn’t ruin squat!” At her confused stare he reached out for her, explained matter-of-factly. “Our first kiss was in kindergarten, they would’ve been too young to ruin anything.”

 

“What?” Katniss asked with a disbelieving chuckle, she fell into a comfortable side hug with him, “Continue…” she prompted skeptically.

 

“Yup, it went like this: I walked up to you and told you, you sang like an angel, then I presented you with half of my cookie and in a bout of masculine bravery, I planted one, square on your lips!” He quipped, squeezing her closer to him.

 

“Huh!” Katniss clipped her tongue and crossed her arms over her chest, regarding him amusedly. “I think we have extremely different recollections of the events of your so called ‘first kiss’,” she said making air quotes with one hand.

 

“Fine, then. Do your worse, try tainting  the memories of the bestest thing that’s  ever happened to me!”

 

She rolled her eyes, and pushed away from him with a hand trying to hide the deep blush on her face, her lip curled sideways, and then she walked him through the facts of that day in a low, silky voice.

 

“Well, you pretty much ran across the yard in my direction, screaming something that wasn’t quite human speech,”

 

“Hey now, no need to mock a five year old for being enthusiastic!” He countered good naturedly.

 

She ignored his interruption and pressed on with the story, “You held your whole cookie in your tiny fist ahead of yourself as you ran,”

 

“Clearly showing you what a good, generous little boy I was,”

 

“Then you tripped on your untied laces,”

 

“Yup, lesson learned there, always double knot those puppies up!” He said pulling his foot out and shaking it on his heel to show his double knotted laces.

 

“But you couldn’t stop, you flew right at me.”

 

“Its called momentum!”

 

“You tackled me to the ground and landed face first on top of me,”

 

“Can’t accuse me of never trying the direct approach,” he shrugged.

 

“The cookie broke and crush in half in the process,”

 

“That’s the way cookies crumble… such a waste.” He lamented.

 

She shook her head ruefully, “Our lips connected briefly,”

 

“Best two seconds of my life!” He sighed dreamily.

 

“By _accident_ , I must stress!” She glared at him, and he shrugged, “We both panicked,”

 

“Talk for yourself, missy, I was in heaven!” He scolded shaking a finger at her and then bopping her nose with it.

 

“What? You shoved what was left of the cookie into my aching hand, since your knee landed on it, and then you ran away, never to speak to me again!” She practically screeched.

 

They both just stared at each other.

 

“Yeah… that was pretty bad, wasn’t it?” He finally conceded, yet, there was a small hopeful grin on his lips. “Then, I spent the next eleven years trying to find the courage to talk to you—“

 

”Without success,” Katniss smirked.

 

”Without success.” 

 

“All you had to do was say hi, you know.”

 

”Yeah... the thing was, that I found you a tad intimidating.”

 

”Really?” She chuckled, bumping his side with her shoulder.

 

”A smidge.” He smiled widely bringing his thumb and pointing finger close together to show her how much he meant. 

 

But she bit her lip, shook her head slowly, and sat down on the couch, next to ‘Grooming for Goats’. Her voice was a little melancholy when she spoke.

 

“The next time you talked to me, wasn’t until my father died. Everyone knew we were struggling to make ends meet and my mom’s choking depression was no secret either. Nobody did anything until you walked up to me at school and told me your dad had an opening at the bakery,” she looked up at him then, the memory bittersweet in her mind’s eye, she smiled sadly at him, “Which turned out, to be a gross exaggeration as well, because apparently, Peeta Mellark can’t help it when he’s around me.”

 

Peeta sat in front of her, on the coffee table, and took her small hands in his.

 

“You got the job, didn’t you? That’s all I cared about. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t trying to impress you, but I was really worried about you.” He said trying to his voice light. “Dad got a great waitress, I got to be your friend, and you got one less thing to worry about.”

 

“And your mother got a… what did she called you? Freeloader?” She rolled her eyes in annoyance.

 

Peeta chuckled. “Only until Granny Mags retired from the cake frosting station. It was worth it. Giving up my job in the bakery so they could pay you instead.” He said rubbing the tops of her hands with his thumbs. “When they gave you your first check at the end of the week... it was the first time you smiled in months. Nothing in this world is better than knowing I was somehow responsible for that smile.”

 

“Oh, Peeta. You always make me smile. I’ve always been so grateful, you have no idea,”

 

“I know. That’s what you and I do, right? We protect each other.”

 

“Real,” she affirmed. “It’s also real, that you saved me and Prim and mom from starvation and an intervention from Social Services. I could never repay you for what you did. You’ve been such an amazing friend all this time, and I always hoped... then thanks to miss sneaky pants and her tinder page, you finally asked me out, and to be honest, I was so embarrassed, wondering if you thought I was some kind of loser that needed her baby sister to sign her up to a dating site—”

 

Peeta dropped to his knees, cupping her face in his warm big hands, making shushing noises, “What are you talking about? You have no idea how many guys come into the shop just to see you, I mean, our coffee is supreme in town but that doesn’t justify a dude come in four times a day when your behind the counter.”

 

“Oh please, you’re exaggerating.” She said with an edge of doubt.

 

”Not at all. I admit, I live in a constant state of jealousy and the need to remind myself that you don’t know the effect you can have on people... don’t look at me like that. I mean it as a good thing. You inspire people, but you don’t know how beautiful and interesting you are. That’s why Prim wanted to get you a date, so you realize you’re a catch.

 

“No, don’t be embarrassed about it. I’m the idiot here who took seeing the massive response Prim got from guys trying to score a date with you to spur me to action. I wasn’t about to let you go out with some weirdo named Gloss.”

 

She made a face, “What kind of name is that?”

 

“Beats me, but I had to put my foot down when I saw Prim was looking for a permanent fixture in your life…” His speech became fast, beseeching, “I couldn’t sit with my arms crossed while you interviewed, dated and even liked one of those guys. I can’t even explain the fear I felt, that you’d ended up marrying and having a family where I was merely, odd male spinster uncle Peeta, who’d give Cashmere, Glimmer and Gloss Jr. cookies every time you come in the store for bread. I just couldn’t let it happen without trying!”

 

Katniss giggled, a sound foreign and beautiful that took them both by surprise, but she recuperated faster.

 

Taking his hands in hers, she said, “Peeta, you didn’t need have worry!” She bit her lip with amusement dancing in her eyes, “You know me, I can barely stomach small talk with our regulars at the bakery, what makes you think I’d be capable of interviewing 28 of the people that made Prim’s list?”

 

“So… you wouldn’t have gone out with any of them?” He asked quietly, his vulnerability showing.

 

“Not one!” She confided with a smile and squeeze of his hand. “I appreciate Prim’s efforts, misguided as they were, I know she just wanted me to be happy, but Tinder is just overwhelming to me.“ She took a breath, “I’m glad she did it though, otherwise I don’t know how much longer it would’ve taken you to ask me out. I was almost ready to take matters in my own hands and ask you myself... and all you had to do was—“

 

“Say, Hi?” He supplied shyly.

 

She nodded, then a floorboard at the top of the stairs groaned.

 

“Oh. My. Freaking gosh! Say _Hi_ already and kiss! You guys are killing me, a snail is quicker than you guys! Don’t just sit there smiling at each other like a pair of dorks! You’re madly in love with each other, it’s okay to kiss anytime! I want to be an aunt before the skin of my under arms sags and white hair floods my head!”

 

Katniss roared, “Prim!”

 

Peeta started chuckling, and Rue tried to drag Prim back into the safety of her bedroom, not before adding her two cents, “Peeta, honey, I love you and I enjoy your lame jokes as much as the next person, I also believe you and Katniss will make the cutest babies, but you shouldn’t be naming any of them!”

 

“Seriously! Cashmere, Glimmer and Gloss Jun—“ The rest of Prim’s sentence died behind the door, just in time for Katniss last leap to reach the landing.

 

Peeta was chuckling nervously, standing at the foot of the stair, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly.

 

“They have a point,” Katniss sighed facing him.

 

His blue eyes widened, “Mmm, what is that?” He asked hating the small quiver of his voice at the last syllable.

 

“You’re banned from naming the babies.” She said in a matter of fact tone, coming down the stairs to meet him.

 

“What babies?” He asked stupidly.

 

She was standing on the first step, which placed her at eye level with him. She smiled then and instead of answering, she reached her hands to to pull him to her by the lapels of his jacket. He couldn’t stop staring at her eyes the whole time, a look of lovesick adoration took over his face, and she rather liked it there.

 

“What babies?” His voice trailed off softly, dreamily, but all she did was leaned in closer, and kissed him properly, effectively shutting him up.

 

“Good answer,” he whispered when they finally disconnected their lips. “Does this mean, we’re going on more dates?” He asked dazedly.

 

She laughed and kissed him again, mumbling against his lips, “Whaddayathink?”


End file.
